Community / Sewing /
13243
by Sewmum1 08 Mar 2018 ( edited Mar 14'18 04:38 )
+45

I am amazed at the standard of sewing comes from the factory these days. Have a look at the original hem (bottom piece of fabric) on this high end lace dress. Top piece is the now finished dress which has almost a full circle skirt.

Customer paid over $200 for this dress and the hem of the dress was uneven all the way around (up to 1.5cm difference) and also the hem on the petticoat lining was lower than the outer fabric (Forgot to take a pic) been seeing this quality finish far too often lately.
Fortunately it needed hemming so I made sure it was done properly. The lace was encased in bias binding and turned up to look like the original hem, only more even. 4 rows is stitching in all, very slowly in order to catch all the lace without stretching or puckering. Thankfully I had some fabric that matched fairly closely so I could make the binding. I used my fave quilting binding technique to finish the binding ends.

Have added a couple of pics I snapped of the binding join. I love how this technique finishes perfectly each time with no excess binding and doesn't just look like the ends were chopped off and sewn together. Have tried to add a link similar to way I do the ends only very detailed and this method works for any width binding. Binding below is 8mm wide once finished.

https://so-sew-easy.com/perfectly-join-quilt-binding/#_a5y_p=4965820

3 images:
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Comments (16)
173695
by cfidl 08 Mar 2018
+10
You have made it beautiful! Good work!
115778
by asterixsew 08 Mar 2018
+9
Excellent work and not the easiest of jobs to do.
234507
by pennifold 08 Mar 2018
+6
Kudos to you, it's not easy trying to fix an uneven stretchy hemline. I particularly hated doing Chiffon hems for clients back in the 80's and 90's. You've made a great save here. Did you do your 'favourite quilting technique' by laying down the first part of your binding and overlapping it when you get to the end about 2 inches in? I hope I made sense in what I'm trying to say. Love Chris
4 comments
by Sewmum1 08 Mar 2018
Hi Chris I have added a couple of pics I remembered to take. Hope that helps clarify. The ends match up perfectly and there is just the right amount of binding to sew onto the fabric.
by pennifold 08 Mar 2018
Thanks Karyn, yes, I have done it that way myself, but Jenny Doan at Missouri Quilt Company has a great way of overlapping at the very end of your bias.
I always use a 2 and a half inch binding that I usually cut from my own material. When you start to sew your binding leave a piece about 8 inches long before you start sewing it to the quilt or whatever. Just before the ending take it out of the machine, cut off the first part to 2 1/2 inches and attach the ending piece 2 1/2 inches by joining it diagonally. It sounds weird but it works every time. Have a look at the website where Jenny shows you how to do it. Love Chris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vCWpxBRs20

It's called "The Ultimate Quilt Binding Video" It's great!!!!
by jgwatchorn 09 Mar 2018
Thanks Chris for the very well explained Video. Janette
by Sewmum1 09 Mar 2018
Jenny has great videos, often just sit and watch them when there is nothing on tv
318555
by dragonflyer 08 Mar 2018
+9
Beautiful job, Karryn...I, too, use this same join for binding...
255054
by airyfairy 08 Mar 2018
+9
Being a sewer myself, I just have to say what an incredible job you have done on this lace. Well done 👍🏽
14637
by kustomkuddle 08 Mar 2018
+9
You did an amazing job. I love the binding technique. I too have found that hems are not even. A year ago, I worked on a Wedding dress that had 5 layers of different fabrics. None of the layers were even and most were longer than the top lace fabric. Luckily she wanted two layers taken out of the dress, so I only had to deal with three.
1 comment
by Sewmum1 09 Mar 2018
Oh yes I have seen than too. I don't think they worry so much with wedding gowns as most are expected to be hemmed anyway unless the bride is really tall
33641
by pennyhal2 08 Mar 2018
+7
You sure have fantastic sewing skills! Thanks for the photos as it helps me learn a little more about hemming. Yes, some things are just not well made anymore...but people buy them anyway.
10296
by liliana1 08 Mar 2018
+7
You have done an excellent job. Customer will be very pleased
11506
by sewtired 08 Mar 2018
+6
Well done! It is so annoying that so much work done these days is so poorly done. Unfortunately, you can't always blame the worker. Often they are paid low wages by the piece.
1 comment
by Sewmum1 09 Mar 2018
So true they are not paid well and are often made to keep to a certain production number
29726
by babash 08 Mar 2018
+5
Well done not an easy task to do certainly one of those jobs done when you are the only one home.
Nothing is finished off properly these days.
16529
by vickiannette 09 Mar 2018
+4
have to agree. The finishing does not equal the price paid [in many cases]
11860
by parkermom 09 Mar 2018
+4
what a beautiful job you did! you are a very talented seamstress! I need to remember to use this binding method next time.
1 comment
by Sewmum1 09 Mar 2018
Thank you. It is a great method to use on lace. I put the binding in place and stitched the first round before cutting any excess of in order to reduce stretching and puckering as in some places there is no lace only binding to sew on.
25212
by killiecrankie 09 Mar 2018
+3
Skirts of this type should be hung up for about a week to allow the parts which are on the bias to drop,before hemming.In the past have even weighted down the bias sections with pegs,so once the hem has been trimmed & hemmed ,it stays level.
The customer should of asked for this to be fixed before she bought it.
1 comment
by Sewmum1 09 Mar 2018
I agree. This one was hung for 2 weeks before i touched it. I remember my mother having a disastreous time with a ball gown even after allowing the fabric to hang before cutting the dress. It dropped at the waistline and the hem. Lucky it was only for me so she wasn't so stressed.
548
by spcekittrn 09 Mar 2018
+3
Your work is wonderful. I can tell you several stories about the slip shod work of seamstresses. My daughter took apparel design in college and you would be surprised how they teach them to sew. She took independent "study" at home with me teaching her the proper way to sew.
Strange what good grades she got for her sewing.
1 comment
by Sewmum1 14 Mar 2018
Sounds like she had a great teacher and Mum. I have seen some interesting work done by bridal seamstresses and personally would be very disappointed if I was the bride.
1213
by hoplessnz 10 Mar 2018
+3
hi dont you just hate it when you purchase something and you have to trim up the inside for loose threads ,,, some quite long ones . I am annoyed as sometimes these purchases are not cheap but are what I am looking for . GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
1 comment
by Sewmum1 14 Mar 2018
It's annoying isn't it having to fix things up but it can save making something from scratch
145791
by lbrow 14 Mar 2018
+1
I do not believe there is anything like Quality Control anymore. I seem to find problems with almost all I purchase. You did a beautiful job Lillian
1 comment
by Sewmum1 14 Mar 2018
Thank you. I wonder sometimes if clothes are checked before they leave the factory